KISMAYU (Halbeeg News) – At least three people were killed on Sunday when a quarry pit collapsed in Somalia’s Southern town, Kismayu.
Rescuers pulled out three bodies buried beneath sand and stones, with others feared to be trapped underneath.
According to witnesses, two other quarry workers were rescued from the bit.
Local residents and near workers are said to be involved in the rescue effort together with local administration forces.
Mr. Nuur Abdirahman, one of the workers of the quarry who spoke to the media said dozens of people who were trapped were later rescued.
“Initially many people were trapped underground but three of them died and others sustained injuries, the rest were rescued,” Mr. Abdirahman
Mohamed Ali Mohamed, a driver working at the site said the workers were loading his truck with sand when the 8ncident occurred.
“All of a sudden, we realised that a side of the quarry was collapsing and a mass of sand closing up the cave being excavated,” Mohamed said.
Pit workers said that in recent times dozens have been killed by collapsing quarries.
In May this year, two people were killed in a quarry which collapsed in the Somali capital, Mogadishu.
Hundreds of workers are engaged in digging for sand and stones for use in building construction in the coastal cities such as Mogadishu, Marka, and Kismayu.
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